Page 21 of The Commons

He said that if they found out I was trying to be in the know, they would make sure I was not. Who’s they? I think that he said they, it means he is not included. Which could mean that he might not agree with everything they are doing.

He in fact did answer my question, didn’t he? Levon’s program is not one of the official programs of study at The Commons. That could only mean one thing—Levon is in danger! Oh God, so am I!

Or is Levon really in a position of secrecy? Then how can I find out about her? The only way is for me to be in a secret career, too. I figure that’s my next link to Levon’s whereabouts. I have to conquer the Cognitive Test.

But what if the Cognitive Test reveals why I’m really here? What if it can read my mind completely? I have basically lied my way through the entire interview process in order to make it this far. I could “talk the talk” because no lie detector test was monitoring my brain activity. But now I have to literally control my brain to lie. While I’m unconscious. How on earth am I supposed to do that?

CHAPTER 5

Losing My Mind

If I don’t learn how to control my brain, I’m done for.

But how can I learn to control my brain? I have to find a book about that: how to control my brain activity better and how to retain my consciousness when unconscious. This is not going to be easy. Is it even possible?

Zia and I enter the O Zone library. This is the only library we can go into as freshmen, that is, until we complete the tests and receive a zone of study for the next four years. The O Zone library is an interconnected web of books. Most of the library’s signs and labels are written in another language, but I am semi-fluent in Greek and Latin so I am able to discern the roots and stems of a lot of words.

The library seems to hold over 200 million books. Zia and I walk through the library, side by side. I lock arms with her and try to comfort her and encourage her not to be afraid. We make small talk and before long, I can see her suppressing a smile. One joke later and everything has changed. From a restrained smile to an awkward giggle, and eventually an uncontrollable burst of laughter.

After several fits of laughter, she takes a deep breath and looks me in the eye with that boldness only camaraderie creates. “Shantavia! What were you thinking? Didn’t you know who he was?”

I realize she’s talking about Pesh.

“Of course I did, I just was taken by surprise and wasn’t thinking he was gonna look like that!” I utter. I can’t tell her that he’s doing this because of a personal vendetta. Frankly, I actually don’t know why he’s picking on me for staring at his fingers.

Zia giggles. “That’s how all Patrons look. Extremely attractive, it’s a requirement to be selected as a Patron!”

“That’s weird.”

“I think it’s hot. They’re usually in their twenties and they serve for less than a decade in The Commons. I heard that once they turn thirty, they can no longer be Patrons. They have to retire.”

“Huh! Interesting.” I have no clue what she just said. I’m barely listening—I’m getting nervous.

When I approach the Cognitive section, I see three of my classmates searching through books. I overhear two of them.

“Hey, Jordan, let’s get this book, Thinking Under The Influence, it should help.”

“I’m gonna get this one, Tin, Fast-Forward Your Thoughts When Slowed Down.”

Their conversation makes my heart race. All of them are going to be prepared. The common sense thing to do would be to follow their lead and read similar books so that I can perform as well as any of them. But I am scared that I will still be an outlier. In The Commons, your scores are favorable because they are in the same range as every other person’s score. But I am starting at a disadvantage: every person but me wants to be here. I am simply here to find my sister. So, I can’t do the same things as them if I want to measure up to their level. I decide to take a different approach.

I do not go to the Cognitive section. I go to the part of the library that deals with meditative science—I know, completely unrelated. But I hope there’s a method to my madness.

Peeking through the books from the opposite aisle, Zia’s voice interjects, “Anyway, that’s beside the point. This means you’re in trouble, right?”

“No cell phone privileges for the next six months, but I’m fine. It’s not a big deal. I doubt my parents will even notice if I miss my first allowed phone call to them,” I tell her. “But speaking of that and my predicament, happened to have heard anything about the Patron who gave me the demerit?” I work my way through the books, trying to find a book related to controlling the feeling of one’s heart. I know that I love Levon in my mind, but more importantly, in my heart, so I think all I have to do is control my heart from interacting with my brain.

“You’re talking about Patron Pesh?” she interrupts.

“Yeah, him…” My voice fades, trying to find the best book.

“I mean I’ve heard of him, same as you. Some people say he’s the highest paid Patron.”

“Really, how much?” my mouth utters, but my mind is distracted by two books, Mind and Heart Connection, by Lerod Jerkinos World, and The Power of Synthesized Imagination, by Somando Caroway.

She lowers her voice. “Well, I don’t think they get paid in the most conventional way, since they earn a bunch of assets and never disclose these things, but… it’s rumored that his net worth is over five hundred billion dollars!”

“Wow,” I say, in awe of the two books, but she thinks I’m in awe of Pesh. I don’t really care. It’s not something I can wrap my mind around. “That’s crazy! Interesting, anything else…” Oh crap. I remember rule number 24, I can only read one book at a time, so I must complete one before the other. I can’t risk someone taking one of my books, so I peek to the right to make sure she is not looking, and I hide the second book at the very last corner of the shelf, where I hope no one will think to search. My voice elevates to distract her. “You know… like about his personality, his tendencies?”